Resurrection after Death

**fennywest** Tue 15 Jun 2010, 10:17 am

Lu:23:44: And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

Lu:23:45: And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Lu:23:46: And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Lu:23:47: Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

Lu:23:48: And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

Lu:23:49: And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Lu:23:50: And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

Lu:23:51: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

Lu:23:52: This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

Lu:23:53: And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

Lu:23:54: And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

Lu:23:55: And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

Lu:23:56: And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Lu:24:1: Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Lu:24:2: And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

Lu:24:3: And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus

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The last moments of the death of Jesus-the facts:

He committed his life into the hands of His Father.
There was a salutation of heaven and earth by way of thunder, lightning, storms and earthquake .
People acknowledged He was a righteous man.
Joseph the Arimathaea, who did not consent to his death, pops out from nowhere to asked for his body; unknowingly fulfilling the scriptures.
The women also went for spices to embalm his body before the Sabbath.
They came back after the Sabbath and found that stone had been rolled away and the body of Jesus was gone.

Luke 23:44-24:3

Truths and application

Find and face and fulfill your purpose
Jesus faced His cross- the purpose for which He came. It was difficult but unavoidable

We too will face our cross- believer or unbeliever but especially as believers.

Die with Dignity
Jesus faced it with dignity. We too must face ours with dignity.

Surrender Pays
He surrendered to the will of the Father and so must we when we face our cross.

You will not be Abandoned
Jesus felt abandoned by the father. We too will feel that way. However we will not be abandoned because Jesus was, for us.

The Cross is for Dying On
Jesus died on that cross. Our cross is not a hockey stick or a table tennis bat. It is for dying on. So we will die if we want to live. We have to die daily like Paul said.: die to the flesh, to our egos pride, selfishness, waywardness etc. We must be crucified with Him to rise to a newness of life like Him. We must suffer with Him to reign with Him. Apart from the death that occurs when we give our lives to the Lord, there will be other occasions for death on our cross as a process of making us more like Him.

Help Will Come
Help came for Jesus from an unexpected quarters through Joseph the Arimathaea. So shall it be for us. God will send help from quarters we least expect.

Resurrection
After His death, came the resurrection- the prize of obedience, surrender, and humility. After the pain, came the gain. After the sorrow, came the joy unspeakable and full of glory. This is what awaits those who follow His footsteps and die on their cross; God will give them victory, resurrection, joy, gain, testimony, heavenly attestation and divine acclaim.

Resurrection Succeeds the Cross

The cross may not be palatable
But for a child of God, it is inevitable
On the cross we are meant to die daily
And not abandon it, but face it bravely.

May we face our cross with dignity,
Surrendering ourselves with humility
May we find and fulfill our purpose,
Regardless of the forces that oppose.

We may feel abandoned on the cross
But God has not really abandoned us.
As we suffer on the cross of our life
Let us remember that coming New Life:

Resurrection!

Let us Pray

Father, I thank for Your word that is spirit and life, a light unto our path and lamp unto our feet.

I thank you that there is a purpose to my life like it was for my Saviour. Help me to find that purpose and face it with determination regardless of the obstacles and the cross involved. O that I will surrender to Your will and die with dignity on my cross as to be more like Jesus daily.

Remind me, O Lord, as I face my cross and die daily that I am not abandoned, even I feel like it, and that resurrection will come, help will come from unexpected quarters; weeping may endure for the night but joy is coming in the morning.